On average, we spend seven to eight hours a day in bed. During this time, we perspire, our dead skin falls off and our body odors become impregnated into the sheets. To avoid unpleasant odors and the proliferation of bacteria, it's important to change sheets, pillowcases and even comforter covers frequently. But how do you go about it? When should you do it? How do you clean your linen without damaging it?
When should you wash your comforter cover?
You might be tempted to answer "when it's dirty". However, you shouldn't wait for stains to appear or unpleasant odors to develop before putting your comforter cover in the wash. Fortunately, some comforter covers are easy to wash, especially those made from cotton percale. Julie Lavarière has taken advantage of the quality of this fabric to produce original, top-of-the-range bed linen.
Every night, we lose around 1.5 liters of water through sweat and saliva. All this water is absorbed by our sheets and mattresses, but also by our comforters. Added to the sweat is dead skin. The result is a delicious cocktail, much appreciated by dust mites. Cleaning your linen therefore helps to keep bacteria and unpleasant odours at bay.
Now, as for frequency, it all depends on when you shower. If you're one of those people who showers in the evening, you can wash your bedding every 15 days. This is because your dead skin and other waste products from the day will have been washed away when you shower. So there'll be less of it in your bed. On the other hand, if you like to shower in the morning, it's best to clean every week. Similarly, it's advisable to wash and change your bedding more frequently in summer than in winter.
Is there a special way to wash a comforter cover?
Like all bed linen , comforter covers can be machine-washed. Of course, it's a good idea to read the label beforehand. If the cover material is fragile, consider hand-washing or washing at a low temperature (30 degrees for silk). For cotton or polyester linens, wash at high temperature, between 50 and 70 degrees. The ideal temperature for killing bacteria is 60 degrees, but you can even go up to 90 degrees for white cotton.
Speaking of color, you can't clean a colored comforter cover the same way you clean an all-white one. While white can withstand high temperatures, colored linens are more delicate. Always keep these two types of linen separate to avoid unpleasant surprises. To keep your comforter cover sparkling white, spray it with water mixed with a little white vinegar before putting it in the washing machine. However, avoid the use of fabric softeners. They tend to yellow your clothes. Finally, when it comes to drying, remember that the tumble dryer is the enemy of colored linens. Instead, opt for air-drying.